| Title | : | Winter at the Beach (Moonlight Harbor, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 282 |
| Publication | : | First published October 23, 2018 |
Winter at the Beach (Moonlight Harbor, #2) Reviews
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My Opinion:
I really enjoyed this contemporary and loved going back into Jenna's life to see what was happening to her now. This starts out as the businesses in Moonlight Harbor aren't doing as well as they could be and Jenna has an idea. She comes up with a festival to get some people into the little town for Christmas and help them all earn some money. Her ideas are good and she really is trying to do the right thing by all the business owners in Moonlight Harbor. She gets some slack but that is to be expected not everyone is going to love every idea. But, at least Jenna tries. MORE than I can say for some of the residents. This book was a little different as it brought in new characters and we got to see a bit into their lives and how people deal with their problems.
We get multiple POV's from the different hotel residents that are/do stay at the hotel during the festival. This author pulls this together nicely and I am never left wondering who is talking or what is going on. I did not in any way feel lost. I do perhaps want some cookies from Aunt Edie. =)
Of course, there are lots of things happening in this little town and when things go haywire at the festival it's up to Jenna to come up with the solutions to them. I love that she has such great friends and that everyone pulls together when it really matters. This book is cute, funny, and just an overall great read!
I give this books 4.5 of 5 stars!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of the book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher and author for a chance to read this novel. -
Winter at the Beach
Sheila Roberts
WINTER AT THE BEACH by Sheila Roberts is the second book in the Moonlight Harbor series.
Moonlight Harbor is a beach town, but in the winter hardly anyone comes down and spends any money. The town needs to figure out a way to generate tourism for the colder months. Jenna Jones is currently running the Driftwood Inn and really needs to get people to book rooms as the bills are piling up. She comes up with a great idea for a festival called Seaside With Santa.
Sheila Roberts has a way of pulling you in and never letting you go! She will get you emotionally invested in all of her characters, where you feel as if they are "real" people that you know. If you aren't a fan of series, don't worry. You could easily read this one as a stand alone. Every time I read one of these stories, I feel like I am back visiting old friends and making new ones along the way.
The community of Moonlight Harbor is filled with likable characters that you could see yourself becoming friends with. The women are strong and faithful to their families and the men are always trying to help them out. WINTER AT THE BEACH is going to put you right in the middle of Inn with all its problems! Jenna is trying to keep the inn up and running, plus she is dealing with her ex and her teenage daughter. She likes two men, one who isn't ready to commit and one who is a player but really wants to take his friendship with Jenna to the next level. Ugh!!
The customers who come down to Moonlight Harbor are also dealing with some pretty big issues, cancer, trust problems, financial ruin, but they all try and make the best of a situation. Well, all of them but one! The peek into these characters lives shows you how people deal differently with their problems. Sometimes it's funny and other times it left a lump in my throat. I mean seriously, how can you not fall in love with these people and get all up in their business? The weather doesn't cooperate with the parade they have planned and you will find yourself wondering if the whole festival will be a complete bust!
WINTER AT THE BEACH is filled with family, new beginnings, getting over the past, love and loss. This story is a very heart tugging tale in Moonlight Harbor and I loved every minute of it. The pages aren't filled with romance but there is plenty of it. You will be believing in happily ever after and finding yourself wanting to pack you bags and moving to this charming beach town. The positive female relationships that these women share will make you want to go out and make some new friends. As always, another wonderful story from Sheila Roberts. As a bonus there are recipes from the story at the end of the book and who doesn't love that? I can't wait to continue this series!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mira Books through Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given. -
Sheila Robert's stories have a way of dragging you into the story and making you feel like you are part of the town. Very well written with a great cast of characters that will make you laugh and cry. I have fallen in love with the town of Moonlight Harbor. I really enjoyed the story and hated to see it end. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
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Winter at the Beach by Sheila Roberts
Moonlight Harbor #2
310-page Hardback +recipes
Genre: Romance > Contemporary Romance; Women's Fiction > Chick Lit; Adult Fiction, Holiday > Christmas
Featuring: Author's Letter, Divorcée, Washington, Inn, Festivals, Business Owners, Eye Twitching, Teenagers, Books, Parenting, Dating, Icicle Falls, Sisters, Marital Issues, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Guests, Cancer, Drama, Dreams
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for suggestive language and adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🦃🎄
My thoughts: 📖 Page 49 of 310 Ch. 4 - I was wondering how many festivals could one town have when Jenna enlightened me. I'm not a fan of the plot, Jenna and Sabrina are already on my nerves; passivity annoys me.
📖 101 in Ch. 7 three pages before Ch. 8 - This is where I left off before I got a phone call hours ago. Now there are all of these mediocre side stories. I miss the first book, especially the to-do list epigraphs. *rereading from Ch. 10.
📖198 Ch. 15 - I'm having a hard time remembering all of these people. I recognize their situations but not their names.
This was okay but the entire book felt like filler material. I think the highlight for me was the banter between sisters Sarah and Taylor, I was disappointed that Dave Ramsey wasn't mentioned, Taylor and Chris sound like Babysteppers. I don't know what Jenna's definition of dating is, I'm not looking forward to more of Sabrina and Tristan. There was so much going on in this book and at the same time, nothing at all. I now understand why Debbie Macomber only had 2 guest stories per book for Rose Harbor Inn. There were too many characters in this story and little depth, I had to reread a few clusters of chapters because I was lost.
Recommend to others?: Yeah. You have to get through the lull to get to the next wave. -
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.
Once again, this is another fabulous book by Sheila Roberts and a solid sequel to the series!
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the story still focused primarily on Jenna rather than make her an outlier while a previous secondary character took the spotlight, as was the case with the author's Icicle Falls series. But this decision feels fitting as Jenna's drive and enthusiasm continue to inspire, showcasing just how important this community has become to her as well as the hotel's welfare. In hindsight, it seems silly that the town wouldn't have already had a holiday festival available to drive tourism during the winter, but whether she thinks so or not, Jenna has truly cemented herself as a leader that will definitely put Moonlight Harbor on the map! They need her just as much as she needs them, and I can't wait to read more!
There are plenty of tear-jerking moments, but I love how the author is able to find the humor in it all without losing the sense of compassion we all need to feel in order to face such tragic circumstances. The story never loses its ability to convey a sense of hope that powerfully comes from the understanding of those who have also experienced similar situations if not worse. And in the author's deft hands, these fictional characters become masterfully relatable and delightfully engaging.
Happy endings come together in a heartwarming tapestry that makes this a perfect selection to curl up with this season! Plus, the included recipes will set your mouth-watering and have firing up the oven to bake up all those cookies just in time for Santa! -
Cute Christmas Story
A cute Christmas story with a few serious moments to think about.
This series is fun and comforting at the same time. -
This is a really lovely story. I think that Moonlight Harbor would be a terrific beach town in which to live. I am looking for a house near the beach even as I type this. Please recognize the fact that in reality, I am unable to find a house in an imaginary town.
Jenna is a divorced mother. She is managing a small motel for her aunt. Jenna will eventually inherit and that will give her security which her life has lacked. The other people who live in the small beach town are generally friendly and supportive. Beach towns make money in the spring, summer and fall. But, the winter is a hard financial time for most of the people in Moonlight Harbor. Jenna has an idea. She believes that if they have a winter festival, it could draw tourists and it could be a financial success for everyone.
The idea draws support from nearly everyone in the Chamber of Commerce. There is one woman who would complain if she were hung with a new rope, but she is in the minority.
Jenna has a teenage daughter who is growing into a TEENAGER. But, truly, she is a very good kid. She is simply growing up with the usual teen situations, Jenna also has 2 men who are attracted to her and she is attracted to both of them in return.. Jenna’s ex husband has decided he wants to be connected to his daughter. Jenna’s sister is supportive of Jenna, but she also has a personal story brewing in the back round. This story has a lot happening.
Because of a major storm, people who are staying at Jenna’s motel, must be sent to other sites when power goes out and the one main road out of town is blocked. Several families must move into Jenna’s home. The reader gets to know these people well. There are real life issues and real life situations. There are also very interesting family dynamics becoming evident. Some of the people become much better than expected. And most people are willing to make the best of a not so great situation.
Ms Roberts is a very talented author. Her characters are well developed and are basically people we all know in life. My problem with this book is I did not feel closure in many of the situations. It is part of a series. I have not read the earlier book in the series. It was not hard to get into this story. Ms Roberts provides good back round information for previous relationships and situations But, for this story, I felt that there were things left hanging. I would have felt more comfortable with everything if there were more stories which had actual endings. -
Sheila has gone and done it again! Wow! Winter at the Beach is the perfect Christmas lesson for everyone. Remembering what’s important and what really matters in life. We all have our share of problems but if you have family and good friends all is not so bad.
Jenna is running her Great Aunt Edie's Driftwood Inn at Moonlight Harbor. So many changes over the last year has brought Jenna and her 14 year old daughter to the beach. Jenna is new to running an Inn and has to find a way to survive the winter months at Moonlight Harbor. So she decides to put on a Festival. Santa in the Sand. No down time for her at the beach. Planning a festival to bring in the tourists was the perfect idea. Put plans go awry and sometimes in a big way. But with two hunky men to help her out and a team of community members, what could go wrong?
This book had me in stitches and had me thinking about my own problems, which seems overwhelming at time, and I think about my family and how I’m so blessed to have them close by. I visit Ocean Shores, WA near where I live, and this book reminds me of that small town beach feel and brings it to life.
Sheila has a way of taking an entire town, bringing everybody together and gives you the feeling of being part of a tight knit community where neighbors are helping neighbors. I strongly urge you to pick up this book for Christmas. It will put you in the Christmas spirit and get you ready for the holidays! -
Old friends and new ones are in Sheila Roberts second installment in the Moonlight Harbor Novel series, Winter at the Beach. Winter is slow for the small beach town of Moonlight Harbor and all the business are having financial problems, especially Jenna who runs the Driftwood Inn for her Great Aunt Edie. Wouldn’t a winter festival be great to bring in people? A storm causes havoc with high winds, hard rain and electricity out. With The Driftwood full Jenna pulls together with her friends and makes a disaster into an adventure and something memorable that people will not forget! The book gives you so many emotions that you get swept into the town like the storm, happy, sad, mad, frustration and a lot of love, togetherness and emotional awakening. A good read!
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Of course I have to say it another great book by Sheila. I enjoyed getting to know the new cast of characters that decided to go to the Christmas Festival at Moonlight Harbor. I connected a little with Taylor at first as I have a husband who is trying to start his own business. Luckily though he is doing it on the side. I kind of wish Taylor would not have put on the blame on her husband as her job was not paying or working out either so she should have looked for something else. Then you had rude Susan who kept saying the festival was going to fail. She was a negative Nellie. I liked how everyone pulled together when the power went out and made the best of things. That would not be how I would want to spend but they made it work. I wonder who Jenna is going to decide to date Seth or Brody - I think she thought she knew but now not so much. I look forward to the next book to see what adventures will happen in Moonlight Harbor
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I am sorry but I was bored. And I can not really say why. I liked the characters. I feel sorry and happy but I could not connect to feel them, to breath with them. A perfect ambient did not helped.
I have choosen this book couse of the title. I had a mission to read a book with winter in the title. And the cover is just wonderful. -
Two-haiku review:
She runs festival
To draw holiday business
Weather brings chaos
Continuation
She still doesn't pick a guy
Still a good story -
Found this book a bit long but still enjoyable.
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This is the second book of the series. It’s a little long but enjoyable.
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I get sucked in by these books in a series and this wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t outstanding. Would I read number three if it came out? Probably. This isn’t a Nantucket story by the way. It takes place in a small community south of Seattle in Washington state. Just for a change.
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A nice revisit to Moonlight Harbor and the characters that we met in the first book. Very similar to the Icicle Falls series, the main character saves that day with a creative spin and some not so likely consequences. This is a cute story that is a nice addition to the new series.
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Another fun book from Pacific Northwest USA Best Selling author, Sheila Roberts. Moonlight Harbor needs to do something to liven up the community during the winter holiday season. Jenna comes up with a great plan to bring in the people and all looks bright until Mother Nature blows in.
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Another good read.
Another touching heartfelt story about friends and family working together in difficult situations. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a happy ending. -
I finished reading Winter at the Beach by Sheila Roberts just this weekend. As usual, Ms. Roberts has the ability to take a sometimes-sad story and see the humor in the situation. This one is no different. This is the second in a new series for Ms. Roberts which is set on the Pacific northwest coast in the fictional town of Moonlight Harbor.
In this book, we again meet the characters from the last book, Jenna Jones, her teenaged daughter, Sabrina, and Jenna’s Aunt Edie, whom they now live with. There are two semi-permanent residents of The Driftwood Inn. Pete, Aunt Edie’s sometimes handyman but mostly moocher. And Seth, who owns his own business, but is willing the chip in and help around the inn when needed. Then there’s a collection of colorful townspeople. To top it all off, we have several visitors at the inn, but then I’m getting ahead of myself!
This story opens with Jenna going to a chamber of commerce meeting and suggesting that the town hold a winter festival the weekend before Christmas in order to attract visitors in a typically slow time during the off-season. This idea is met with skepticism from Susan who can see no reason to support this idea, making her a huge “Nervous Nelly.” But most of the members support the idea and put Jenna in charge. Jenna gets down to business of planning the most perfect festival for the town and of course The Driftwood Inn. Of course, anything that can go wrong most likely will but with Ms. Robert’s somewhat warped sense of humor.
Before the festival begins, we meet the would-be guests at their homes as they make their plans to go to the beach for the festival. The inn fills up for the festival and Jenna is delighted. Jenna still has two men vying for her attention, local realtor, Brody Green and sometimes handyman, Seth. Or not, especially in the case of the latter.
As always with all of Ms. Robert’s books, she had me laughing throughout at the characters antics. I think you will too!
You can read more about this book at
http://www.sheilasplace.com/winter-at...
In the interest of full disclosure, I'm part of Ms. Roberts's street team. I got this book for free from the author in exchange for my honest review. -
Wow, another wonderful visit to Moonlight Harbor. This story still concentrates on Jenna, but there is a whole group of secondary characters that are staying at the Driftwood that play a huge part in this story. It is winter and the residents of Moonlight Harbor are trying to come up a way to bring tourists to their small town. It is hard to survive the winter without a lot of income. Jenna suggests a winter festival called Seaside with Santa. It sounds like a great idea and most of the businesses in town are on board. The only thing that could put a damper on the event would be the weather.
This story tugged at my heartstrings. The stories many of the visitors to Moonlight Harbor brought with them were so sad. I loved how upbeat some of them were, even though they were struggling, or had overcome some devastating situations. I came to care for the characters and took time to take stock of my own life. There was only one character that I wanted to smack, but that is the wonderful thing about Sheila Robert's character development, they become real to the reader. As the other books in this series did, the residents of Moonlight Harbor come to the aid of those who need help, and everyone becomes part of the community. This story pulled at my heartstrings, but I am happy to say that it does end on a high note. This is not a romance, but there is some romance in the story. It is a story of friendship, community, helping others, overcoming obstacles, family and love. The positive female relationships that these women share will make you want to go out and make some new friends, or better yet, pack your bags and move to Moonlight Harbor. This one even has some recipes at the end that sound easy and yummy. Another great story from Sheila Roberts. Now, on to book #3. -
Life as the beach is always good, says Jenna who has been blessed by the opportunity to start over at her aunt’s beach side motel. When her ex flew the coop, she and her teenaged daughter flew the coop to begin again a life more meaningful or so she hoped. The beginnings of her new life was fraught with some problems, but the good folk of Midnight Harbor flocked around to help her out and boost her up.
Winter was coming however and the few reservations she had were canceling. Looking over the books, she fretted and worried over how she would keep she, her daughter and aunt fed over the bleak winter months much less pay the utilities. They needed something to draw folks back to the town for at least one weekend. What would that be?
Not to be one who gives up, Jenna mulls over the problem. Wonder if another festival would work? A winter festival? Naysayers seemingly turned her hopeful thoughts downward. But hey others thought it just might work and she was in charge! Even with the town getting behind her and plans being laid, would the weather on this beach town commit? Would people come?
What if’s and should we’s plastered more worries on her head. Situations beyond her control might come. If so what would she do? Will her plan work? Would it fail? Would the townsfolk love her, like her or run her out on a rail. Read Winter at the Beach A Midnight Harbor book 2 by Sheila Roberts to find out what, who and when things start happening. You might be in for a surprise. -
WINTER AT THE BEACH, by Sheila Roberts, is the second in her new series set on the Washington coast in the fictional town of Moonlight Harbor. While it can absolutely be read and greatly enjoyed as a stand-alone novel, I urge reading book #1 as well ... because ... ITS SHEILA ROBERTS ... a guaranteed happily-ever-after in every one of her books!
WINTER AT THE BEACH is jam-packed with funny, relatable characters in completely “normal” circumstances that - in the skillful hands of this masterful storyteller - will have the reader fully immersed in the action from page one.
A howling winter storm swirling into a tourist-filled beach town the weekend before Christmas wouldn’t be high on anyone’s list of things to look forward to. Home baked cookies, motel rooms with orange shag carpet, gas-powered generators, families separated by strong emotions and storm closed roads, young love, old love ... what a fun book! ... and topped off with great looking recipes in the back of the book ...
WINTER AT THE BEACH had me grinning, laughing out loud, wiping away tears of sadness, and kept me guessing. In classic Sheila Roberts style, happy endings come in many ways; some come as a complete surprise and some come with the heartwarming outcome we’re all rooting for.
“Life’s good at the beach” ... a visit to Moonlight Harbor, Washington was a great way to kick off the holiday season! I won’t be surprised to see WINTER AT THE BEACH show up as a wonderful holiday TV movie next year! -
Jenna's newly-renovated, small and cozy inn near the beach does great business in the summer but, along with all of the other shops and businesses in Moonlight Harbor, business suffers when the tourist season ends during the winter season. Jenna comes up with the idea for a winter festival called Seaside with Santa to draw tourists to the town just before the holidays, and she throws herself wholeheartedly into the planning. The main story is intertwined with the conflict of her teenage daughter, a freshman in high school, beginning a romance with a high school senior, and Jenna's indecision surrounding her two romantic interests. There are several other threads of the stories of the inn guests who come for the festival. A big winter storm creates challenges for all and Jenna worries that the festival will be a failure.
There was quite a lot more holiday than romance in this book. I believe it's part of the “sweet romance” genre; for those who are interested in that genre, this was a well-written story and it was very sweet. It just is not really my cup of tea. I was drawn to it by the title, because I do love atmospheric coastal fiction but, although there was a lot of detail surrounding the characters immediate actions and feelings, there was not a lot of description of the environment or the atmosphere of the town, which is normally my favorite part of a coastal fiction novel. -
Sheila Roberts has gotten her Moonlight Harbor series off to a great start with the first two, Welcome to Moonlight Harbor and now, Winter at the Beach. What's not to love about a beach setting? You feel like you're there and no sand on your feet to bring in the house! I'm enjoying getting to know the characters and feeling like they are friends. Each one brings a different element and viewpoint to the story.
Summertime at the beach is very profitable for the Moonlight Harbor entrepreneurs and community, but winter is a different story. Jenna Jones runs the Driftwood Inn at the beach but there's hardly anyone booking rooms during the winter season. How is she and her aunt going to pay the bills with no money coming in! As a member of the Chamber of Commerce she comes up with the idea of a winter festival to bring in crowds like the one held in Icicle Falls. What could possibly go wrong? Can we say lots of things?
Sheila Roberts never disappoints. Each one she's written is different and very entertaining with enough humor and romance to keep me interested. You can't go wrong with any of her novels, especially this one! I'm looking forward to the next one as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise. -
Christmas is approaching in Sheila Roberts’ Winter at the Beach, making it a perfect read for the season, with its enticing blend of sand and sea with winter snow. If you haven’t always wondered what happens at the seaside when the season’s done, you’ll still be delighted to learn. Though whether you’ll want to visit Santa on a snowy beach may still be in doubt.
Characters from this and other series’ weave naturally into this tale, and their very human concerns blend smoothly with the community spirit of a Christmas vacation. Life is not perfect here, or in any of the families involved. But life is never perfectly broken either, and the author, through her characters, offers haunting touches of wisdom, the gentle persuasion of situation and need, and the promise of true love.
Not quite romance, not quite adventure, not quite road-trip, Winter at the Beach weaves several stories into one warm tapestry, the perfect reading blanket for a cold winter’s day. It leaves me wanting to read more, but perfectly satisfied with a conclusion well reached. Like a vacation at a good seaside B&B, it introduces me to strangers, lets me share their lives, and promises all will be okay, even if all might never quite be well. Heartwarming, honestly soul-searching, and vividly real.
Disclosure: I was given a copy and I offer my honest review.
